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Capitol email referring to LGBTQ students as ‘cross-dressers’ sparks controversy

Capitol email referring to LGBTQ students as ‘cross-dressers’ sparks controversy

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Updated: 5:43 PM CDT Apr 10, 2017

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WEBVTT "CROSS-DRESSERS" WASSENT OUT THIS MORNING.KOCO'S ZACH RAEL IS LIVE AT THECAPITOL WITH MORE.ZACH: TODAY WAS HIV/AIDSAWARENESS DAY HERE AT THECAPITOL.THE EMAIL SENT OUT JUST BEFORE10:45 THIS MORNING WASAPPARENTLY PROMPTED BY A GROUPOF LGBTQ TEENAGERS VISITING THECAPITOL FROM TULSA.ACCORDING TO SCREEN SHOTS SENTTO KOCO, THE EMAIL READS, "AS PER THE SPEAKER'S OFFICE,PAGES ARE BEING ALLOWED ACCESSTO THE LADIES RESTROOM ACROSSFROM 401 FOR TODAY.AGAIN, THERE ARE CROSS-DRESSERSIN THE BUILDING." IT APPEARS TO BE SENT BY KARENKIPGEN, WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THEPAGE PROGRAM FOR THE HOUSE.WE TRIED TO CALL HER TWICE BUTWE WERE DIRECTED TO THESPEAKER'S OFFICE.I WENT BY THERE FOR A COMMENTBUT A SPOKESPERSON TOLD ME THEYWOULD ONLY BE ISSUING ASTATEMENT.THAT STATEMENT SAYING THE EMAILWAS NOT AUTHORIZED BY THESPEAKER, HIS STAFF OR OFFICE.HE DOES NOT CONDONE THE REMARKSIN THE EMAIL.ALL OKLAHOMANS SHOULD FEELWELCOME IN THE CAPITOL BUILDINGTHIS MATTEWE DID SPEAK WITH SOME PEOPLEAND GET THEIR REACTION.HERE'S WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.>> WE WANT THEM TO FEEL LIKETHEIR STATE BELIEVES IN THEM ANDHAVE A FUTURE HERE.

Capitol email referring to LGBTQ students as ‘cross-dressers’ sparks controversy

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The email, sent out just before 10:45 a.m., was apparently prompted by a group of LGBTQ teenagers who were visiting the Capitol from Tulsa.

According to screen shots sent to KOCO 5, the email reads:

“As per the speaker's office, Pages are being allowed access to the ladies’ restroom across from 401, for today. Again, there are cross-dressers in the building.”

The email appears to have been sent by Karen Kipgen, who is in charge of the page program for the state House of Representatives. We tried to call her twice, but we were directed to the speaker's office.

A spokesperson issued a statement, saying the email was not authorized by the Speaker, his staff or his office, and that the speaker does not condone the remarks in the email.

“All Oklahomans should feel welcome in the capitol building and the speaker is looking into this matter,” the statement said.

Ryan Kiesel, the executive director of the ACLU of Oklahoma, released the following statement:

"We welcome the Speaker's prompt response to this matter. Speaker McCall's statement is reassuring to all Oklahomans but especially all LGBTQ Oklahomans. Given, however, that the email was distributed with language that indicated that it was sent at the direction of the Speaker’s office and Speaker McCall's willingness to allow anti-LBGTQ legislation to advance this session, LGBTQ Oklahomans and their allies are to be forgiven for assuming this email originated from the highest levels of the legislature.

It is not enough to say that LBGTQ Oklahomans are welcome at the Capitol. Of course they are welcome at the Capitol. It is their building as much as it as any other Oklahomans'. To welcome them to the Capitol is little consolation to LGBTQ Oklahomans who, if SB 197 had become law, would have been unwelcome in many other places in Oklahoma. If Speaker McCall wants a truly welcoming state, then he needs to commit that hateful and discriminatory legislation will have no safe harbor in the House of Representatives as long as he is Speaker of the House.”

Word of the email spread fast. At 10 p.m. on KOCO 5, we will have some reaction to this latest controversy here at the state Capitol.